New Zealand’s healthcare system faces increasing challenges, with persistent workforce shortages and growing demand for complex services. Clinicians report spending more time on processes than patient care, while public expectations for access and quality rise. Despite decades of digital investment, technology has not fundamentally changed the system’s operations. However, Deloitte’s Tech Trends 2026 report suggests a shift towards technology as a structural force, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) to create a sustainable, equitable, and human-centered health system. Key trends include AI’s integration into physical environments, enhancing healthcare through robotics and sensors, and the rise of agentic AI, which acts as a silicon-based workforce to manage tasks and improve efficiency. These innovations could alleviate human capacity constraints and streamline processes in New Zealand’s healthcare system.
How will Deloitte’s 2026 Tech Trends impact New Zealand healthcare?
